THE COROXAEY AND HEPATIC ARTERIES. 425 



to the viscera, the additional vessel being a second coronarj^, or a separate gastro- 

 duodenal arteiy. One or both phrenic arteries are sometimes derived from this 

 trunk. Cases have been met with in which a connection existed between the 

 cceliac axis and the superior mesenteric artery close to their origin. 



1. The coronary artery of the stomach, tlie smallest of the three 

 visceral branches derived from the coeliac artery, inclining upwards and 

 to the left side, reaches the cardiac orifice of the stomach, and then 

 proceeding along the smaller curvature of the stomach, from left to 

 right, gives branches to both sides of that viscus and inosculates with 

 the pyloric branch of the hepatic artery. 



Where it first reaches the stomach, this artery sends upwards ccM^)liagcal 

 hvancltcs. which anastomose with the aortic oesophageal arteries. The branches 

 to the stomach descending on tlie fore and back part of the organ, anastomose 

 with branches from the arterial arch on the great curvature. 



Varieties. — The coronary artery of the stomach is sometimes given off directly 

 from the aorta : and is occasionally replaced b}^ two separate vessels. It some- 

 times furnishes an additional hepatic artery. 



2. The hepatic artery is in the adult intermediate in size between 

 the coronary and splenic arteries, but, in the foetus, it is the largest of 

 the three. The main part of this vessel inclines upwards and to the 

 right side, between the layers of the small omentum, and in front of the 

 foramen of Winslow, towards the transverse fissure of the liver ; and 

 in this course it lies upon the vena portas and to the left of the bile- 

 duct. 



Near the transverse fissure of the liver, the hepatic artery divides 

 into right and left branches, which supply the corresponding lobes of 

 that organ. The left, the smaller division, lying in front of the vena 

 porta?, diverges at an acute angle from the other branch, and turns out- 

 wards to reach the left extremity of the transverse fissure of the liver, 

 where it enters that organ. 



The riglit branch inclines outwards to the right extremity of the 

 transverse fissure, and divides into two or tln-ee branches before entering 

 the liver. The ramifications of the hepatic artery in the liver accom- 

 pany the divisions of the vena3 portas and hepatic ducts. 



Branches. — The named branches of tiie hepatic artery are as 

 follow. 



{a) The pyloric arterj-, coming in contact with the stomach at tlie 

 upper border of the pylorus, extends from right to left along the smaller 

 curvature and inosculates with the oronary artery. It is sometimes a 

 branch of the gastro-duodenal. 



(b) The gasiro-ilmdenal artery, of considerable size, separating from 

 tlie hepatic artery before that vessel ascends in the small omentum, 

 descends behind the duodenum, near the pylorus, and reaches the lower 

 border of the stomach ; there it gives off the su]ierior pancreatico- 

 duodenal branch, and its remaining part, which receives the name of 

 right gastro-epiploic, runs from right to left along the great curvature 

 of the stomach, between the layers of the great omentum, and finally 

 inosculates with the lefc gastro-epiploic derived from the splenic 

 artery. 



The f/tisfro-rj)ipIoic artery gives branches uj^wards to both surfaces of the 

 stomach, and long slender vessels downwards to the omentum. 



